MU Fine Arts Student Featured in Scribendi Honors Magazine

Scribendi, an annual print publication that features creative work from undergraduate honors students, published a submission by Millersville University fine arts major Kyra Hughley '28. Her photograph, "Like Sisters of Sin," was featured in the 40th edition of the honors magazine. "As a young artist in a world that is progressively leaving less space for art to survive, any recognition of my work is a blessing and means a lot," says Hughley. She shares what this honor means to her, the inspiration behind the piece and her creative process below.

1. What was your creative process like for this photo?

The creative process of this photo took a little while to come to fruition for me. I had to gather props (deer antlers, skeleton) and then ask two other friends of mine to hold the props for the photo as I sat in front for a self-timer portrait. Although I was taking a darkroom course at the time, this photo was a complete personal project; I just developed it along with the rest of my classwork. I used Arista EDU 400 film, which was provided in class during this semester.

1. What inspired your photo?

This photo, in specific, is inspired by many different interests of mine. The idea was sparked by a line from the book, "Go Tell It on the Mountain," by James Baldwin that I was reading for my seminar course for English. The line itself was said in a very religious context, but it was the beautiful phrase itself that I found most interesting. A lot of my work has to do with the human condition and how it aligns with nature, encompassing references and symbols from historical art and the natural world. Deer have been a common motif in my work. In Native American traditions, the deer can symbolize the interconnectedness of nature; in Greek mythology, the deer is a symbol of independence and the uncontrollable wilderness. Combining the historical and spiritual weight of symbols from nature and the tangible human body/mind gives it a new meaning."

1. What does the photo mean to you?

This photo is a symbol of nature, a reminder of our root connection to the living world around us and commemorating that through a sisterhood. The title of the photo has a religious context attached to it, but for this work its meaning is manipulated and transcends any specific religion. 'Sin' is a part of the human condition, and the human condition is a result of nature.

1. Is there anything you hope others take away from your work?

Literature has a huge influence on my artwork and my life. Language is something that is capable of meaning so much, or it can mean nothing at all. A photo is a visual language of the artist. The title, the inspiration, and the creative process of a piece mean just as much as the actual artwork.

1. Any closing comments or advice for fellow Millersville artists?

All I believe needs to be said to Millersville artists (and all artists) is to keep AI out of your creativity. The whole point of the artist's process is the artistic vision and the execution of it. Art was never meant to be perfect, nor generated in seconds. We need to support each other as artists and find a way to live amongst the very terrifying world of convenience we are all heading toward.